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Government warns schools that bullying can violate civil rights laws

Washington (CNN) -- Bullying and harassment in schools often includes violations of federally protected civil rights, the federal government warned Tuesday in new guidelines for educators on how to address the problem.

If school administrators fail to properly deal with harassment based on gender, race or other issues, they risk being cited for contributing to a pattern of civil rights violations that could, in extreme cases, lead to a cut in federal funding, according to top officials who spoke to reporters on a conference call about the new guidelines.

"In extreme cases, schools could be stripped of their federal education monies if they don't comply with all of our civil rights laws," said Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights. Also on the call were Arne Duncan, secretary of education, and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes.

What if a student is bullied just for the sake of bullying on the part of the offfenders?
It seems as though school administrations will be focusing only on specific types of acts.
Not every student is bullied because of race, gender, etc. How are those students protected? Does the student who wears eyeglasses and is referred to as a nerd or geek enjoy the same protection?

Well geez, guess that makes the 8 year old version of me a civil rights hero for taking all those hits...

There's a response to bullying, not sure if this is the right one.

The problem is bullying has changed, as one doctor pointed out, bullying doesn't end on the playground, it follows the kid all the way home and onto the internet. Internet has become a part of daily life, it's difficult to avoid it. (Specially if you have a posting account on DP).

There seems little way to stop this "Cyber Bullying" which is becoming the problem unless you monitor what kids do, and no one wants that either so, rock and a hard place.

Well geez, guess that makes the 8 year old version of me a civil rights hero for taking all those hits...

There's a response to bullying, not sure if this is the right one.

The problem is bullying has changed, as one doctor pointed out, bullying doesn't end on the playground, it follows the kid all the way home and onto the internet. Internet has become a part of daily life, it's difficult to avoid it. (Specially if you have a posting account on DP).

There seems little way to stop this "Cyber Bullying" which is becoming the problem unless you monitor what kids do, and no one wants that either so, rock and a hard place.

What are you talking about? Responsible parents monitor their kids. That is why it's called parenting and not friendship.

That problem is bullying is that teachers don't have the power to stop it. Schools have thousands of kids of and dozens of teachers making it impossible to keep an eye on all the kids at once. Even worse, there is no tangible evidence of verbal bullying making it impossible to prove. Simply demanding that schools fix the problem isn't going to do much when they don't have the ability.

That problem is bullying is that teachers don't have the power to stop it. Schools have thousands of kids of and dozens of teachers making it impossible to keep an eye on all the kids at once. Even worse, there is no tangible evidence of verbal bullying making it impossible to prove. Simply demanding that schools fix the problem isn't going to do much when they don't have the ability.

The problem all started, when it became illegal for teachers to whip students. This is just another side effect of that ignorant law.

Originally Posted by americanwoman

So there is absolutely no evidence this woman, whom you called a slut, did this but you are ready to take someone's word as evidence. Guess you don't think witch hunts have to end when it's going after the certain people.

Bullying is a part of life. it teaches us valuable lessons, this scare mongering and anti-bullying idiocy is nonsense. Media hype and reps pretending to be doing something.

Please.

You should try to remember, ideas are conveyed by researching information, vetting sources, and confirming said information. Not by regurgitating talking points given to you by your "news" station.​Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful, but hate me all the more.

The problem all started, when it became illegal for teachers to whip students. This is just another side effect of that ignorant law.

I have never agreed with you on anything before and I probably never will, again. But in this one instance, I agree. I think lightening up dicipline of children in general, such as how a lot of parents don't even want to whip their kids in their own private homes anymore, is a reason for the increase in deliquency and young crime rates.

As for the post by Rev Hound right below yours, that's a little disturbing. Learn something from it? Maybe the kids like me, who stuck up for myself and broke kids noses in the school yard when I went to a new school and got picked on. But the weak little kids who can't fight back sometimes develop lifelong mental problems and insecurities from childhood bullying.

I have never agreed with you on anything before and I probably never will, again. But in this one instance, I agree. I think lightening up dicipline of children in general, such as how a lot of parents don't even want to whip their kids in their own private homes anymore, is a reason for the increase in deliquency and young crime rates.

Well, you've only been here for two months, so don't say never.

As for the post by Rev Hound right below yours, that's a little disturbing. Learn something from it? Maybe the kids like me, who stuck up for myself and broke kids noses in the school yard when I went to a new school and got picked on. But the weak little kids who can't fight back sometimes develop lifelong mental problems and insecurities from childhood bullying.

I don't disagree with Rev's post. He's right, it does toughen up a kid and gets him ready for the real world.

Again, it comes down to teaching and parenting. My 10 y/o was getting ****ed with purdy bad at school. His mom and I talked to the principle about it and nothing ever seemed to get done. So, I told my son that it was time for him to knock the living **** out of the next person that picked on him. He's real shy and timid and didn't want to do that; I explained to him that I believed that that was the only way to make it stop and that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Couple days later, we're on our way to the school house to pick him up, after he got suspended for jacking a kid in the mouth. My point? The teachers didn't do anything about it, so we--his parents--took care of the problem.

Originally Posted by americanwoman

So there is absolutely no evidence this woman, whom you called a slut, did this but you are ready to take someone's word as evidence. Guess you don't think witch hunts have to end when it's going after the certain people.